Dark lantern.



No. 643,768. Patented Feb. 20, |900.

H. F. HUGHES.

DARK LANTEBN.

(Application med .my 1s, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

' WMA/f @f H0. 643,768. Patented Feb. 20, |900.

, H. F. HUGHES.

DARK LANTERN.

(Application led July 13, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Evy-4 @y Nrrnn Terres HARRY F. HUGHES, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO PHILIP OREILLY AND JOHN OREILLY, OF SAME PLACE.

DARK LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,768, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed July 13,1899. Serial No; 723,677. (No model.)

'F0 cZZZ whom it mary concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, (Brooklym) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dark Lanterns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the same, in

Figure l is a vertical sectional View on line l 1 of Fig. 2, the shield shown in the closed position. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View on line 2 2, Fig. l, viewed from the under side. Fig.

I5 3 is a plan view looking upward after having removed the base when the parts are in the position they occupy, when the finger end of the lever is thrown to the right. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the lamp. Fig. 5 shows in elevation a portion of the outer casing and the lamp-holding base. Fig. 6 is an under face View of the base, and Fig. 7 is a detail view in section of the joint between the lensholder and the main casing.

. e 5 The invention relates to dark lanterns and it consists in devices for its operation and features whereby its purpose of retaining the light, except as it may be intentionally projected through the lens, is accomplished.

C is the casing, usually a cylindrical tin body blackened upon the outside. It has an opening O in the front closed by a door D, which is hinged at h to the case and secured by a catch c, closing over a lug Z on the case. The door also has an opening in it, in which is seated the lens-holder H, carrying the lens L. The door and lens-holder are not secured in the ordinary way by solder 5 but I first make a bead b in the holder of the shape and a little larger than the openin g in the door a short distance from the inner edge of the holder. Then the inner edge of the holder is inserted in the hole or opening in the door and pressed or anged outward upon the inner face of the surrounding edge of the material of the door, the result being a very strong joint that continually remains impervious to light.

S is the shield, which I prefer to also construct as a tin cylinder, just enough smaller 5o than the case in diameter to turn readily therein. It has an opening O in the side corresponding in size and shape to that in the case.

At the top the lantern is provided with a cap K and the usual double hood or cowl k.

To operate the shield, I provide a compound lever. First, I provide a three-armed bracket or support, its arms ct a being together long enough to extend across the casing C and rest on the edge. Then when the cap K is placed 6o thereon and crimped into position the ends of said arms will be secured, and it will be held in place, resting upon the upper edge of the casing. The third arm 0,2 extends backward, usually at right angles to the others, to apoint just within the line of the shield S. Z' shows lugs struck up from the shield to form a socket for the end of the swinging lever L2, which is pivoted at 79, centrally of the lamp, in the three-armed support, but extends well be- 7o yond that point and is slotted ats, a point beyond the pivot. Lf is the finger-lever, extending through a slot in the case, pivoted at p2 in arm d2 and provided with a thumb-piece T at the outer end. Its inner end is turned down as a finger f, which enters the slot s, though other forms of linking the two levers together might be adopted.

When it is desired to shut o the light, the thumb-piece is pressed to the left, the slotted 8o opposite end of course swinging to the right, and finger f', bearing against the wall of slot s, will force the slotted end of lever L2 to the right, swinging it on its pivot, which of course carries its opposite end (engaging the shield) around in the same direction as the thumbpiece, but with a much greater movement. The shield being engaged by the end of lever L2 will be simultaneously carried around to close the opening in the case and shut oft 9o the light, whereby a considerable movement of the shield is obtained with a very slight movement of the thumb and the size of the slot s' in the case for the passage of the lever is reduced to a minimum, being very close to its pivot. The guard-hanger and handles are arranged at the rear of the case. First, I secure a bench or brace B to the case. At suitable distances from the case on either side I crease it into tubes tt' for holding the hanloo dles h', and midway between those tubes I form a depression dto receive the wire hanger or hook 71.2. G is the guard, secured to the case at top and bottom and extending somewhat above and below the limits of brace B, but secured thereto, where they coincide usually with solder, the use of the continuous brace in combination with the guard resulting in much greater strength than mere side supports would furnish. A slot s2 in guard G permits the leverL' to extend to a convenient point, and through an opening 0 the hook h2 is inserted into the channel for it between guard G and the depression d in the bench. The lowerend of the hook being turned backward, it will thereby be held securelyin place. Any beam of light that might escape through slot s will be stopped against the guard, and as slot s2iu it is not in the line from the Haine through slot s' there will be no escape of rays through slot s2.

In assembling the parts the shield is introduced at the bottom ofthe casing, and a flange F being then turned inward on the casing it is retained therein thereby. The base D is provided with a hollow bead b and two notches n and the case with two lugs m. They pass down the notches n to the bead b and upon the base being turned around enter the hollow bead, the device thereby constituting a covered bayonet-joint, secure and yet preventing the escape of light. On its under face the base is provided with feet fr to raise it slightly from any at surface, and in a depression within the line of the circle of the lamp-base I cut a series of draft-apertures r. The lamp U, slightly less in diameter than the case and raised from the bottom where it is over the apertures fv to provide draft-space, is preferably secured to that base and has the usual fount and wick-tube.

vVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a casing having an opening therethrough, a shield adapted to close said opening, a lcverpivoted within said case and engaging said shield, a second lever pivoted at one side of the first pivot, extending without the case and engaging the first lever at a point beyond its pivot on the side opposite to that on which the second pivotis located, whereby the swinging of the second lever will operate the first to cause the shield to cover or uncover the opening in the case.

2. The combination of a casing having an opening therethrough, a three-armed support located therein, two arrns of which are secured to the case and extend across the central part of the case, ashield adapted to close said opening in the case, alever engaging the shield, pivoted in the support centrally of the case, but extending beyond the pivot, a second lever pivoted in the third arm of the support, one end extending through the case and the other connected to the extension ot' the first lever.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 24th day ot' April, A. D. 1899.

Il. F. HUGHES.

lVitnesses:

A. G. N. VERMILYA, M. J. OCoNNoR. 

